Basements of properties located in a potential area of flooding are particularly vulnerable to flooding through basement windows. Although prevention is sometimes possible if the property owner/manager can divert the flow of water (e.g., using sand bags), often the owner/manager is unable to mitigate the damage, especially in the event of a flash flood.
During a flood, major damage is caused by water and debris getting into a building. This can be caused by the breaking of basement windows due to the force of the floodwater, or the force of an object being carried by water hitting the window. Once the window breaks, water and mud are free to flow into the basement, causing massive damage. Many people do not have or cannot afford flood insurance to cover damage.
In most cases, any kind of shutter is normally manually deployed or installed at the time it is needed. But flash flood warnings do not leave enough time for manual intervention. Indeed, the homeowners may not even be home to perform the task.